Worcester Red Sox Earn Top Honor from Baseball America
IL Worcester Red Sox

Worcester Red Sox Earn Top Honor from Baseball America

Published on January 5, 2026 under International League (IL)
Worcester Red Sox News Release


WORCESTER, MA - The Worcester Red Sox were named today as the 2025 Freitas Award winner for best overall Triple-A organization in Minor League Baseball. ‚ The award is presented annually by Baseball America, the industry's leading publication, to franchises that display sustained excellence in the business of Minor League Baseball. ‚ In their first year of eligibility, the WooSox earned the honor as the top organization among all 30 clubs in Triple-A Baseball.

The annual accolade is named after longtime Minor League operator, promoter, and ambassador Bob Freitas (pronounced FREE-tus), who passed away in 1989, the same year the award debuted. ‚ It is given to honor franchises who display sustained prominence across the entirety of the organization's business and gameday operations. The award recognizes overall franchise excellence, community engagement, and long-term success as a business operation.

To be eligible, a franchise must be in existence for at least five years. ‚ The WooSox just completed their fifth season at Worcester's Polar Park in 2025. Baseball America names one winner from each of the three Minor League Baseball classification levels (Triple-A, Double-A and Single-A).

Founded in 1981, Baseball America is recognized as the premier publication covering baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming Minor League players. ‚

"Our Freitas Award is one that honors excellence in the entirety of a minor league baseball team's operation," said Baseball America's Executive Editor J.J. Cooper. "From the ticket takers to the general manager, it's an honor we bestow on clubs that have a reputation for going above-and-beyond the expected. ‚ The WooSox have also made a strong commitment to reaching out to the community, a quality Bob Freitas always preached."

"We are so very proud of this honor," said WooSox president Dr. Charles Steinberg, "Because it's a reflection of the heart and passion of the people of Worcester. Our organization could not have received this ultimate accolade without the vibrant, emotional connection we feel with this hidden gem of a community. We have something special going on in Worcester, and we are pleased for the baseball world to now know about it."

WooSox Executive Vice President/General Manager, Brooke Cooper said, "We are grateful to Baseball America for this honor, and we are grateful to our exceptional staff-both year-round and game day, for bringing our ballpark to life each day and for building relationships with fans who are attending game after game and event after event. And to our fans, we thank you the most."

"The WooSox have set a remarkable standard at Polar Park, blending operational excellence with a relentless commitment to the City of Worcester," said Pat Battle and Peter Freund, Executive Chairman and CEO, respectively, of Diamond Baseball Holdings, which owns the club. "This recognition underscores the exceptional leadership and the work of the entire WooSox front office, whose creativity and dedication have shaped a best-in-class Triple-A franchise. From record-setting attendance to industry-leading community engagement, the organization has built a model that reflects both the ambition of its staff and the passion of its fan base."

In the most recent edition of Baseball America, correspondent John Manuel wrote about Worcester's highly-successful first five years of existence. ‚ Manuel said: The WooSox tapped into the city of Worcester's 'habits, points of pride, idiosyncrasies' to create an inviting atmosphere for fans. ‚ The WooSox have had a five-year run of success at the gate and on the field as part of Boston's resurgent player development program.

The Worcester Red Sox have been the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox since the Pawtucket Red Sox (PawSox) moved from Rhode Island to Massachusetts after designing and then opening Polar Park on May 11, 2021. Now after 5 seasons, Polar Park and the Worcester Red Sox have received a host of accolades:

POLAR PARK

- 2023: Voted "Best Ballpark in Triple-A" on May 11,2023, by a Ballpark Digest poll comprising 87,000 voters;

- 2024: Named Best "Family Amusement" venue on November 7, 2024, in the "2024 Best of Central Massachusetts Community's Choice Awards";

- 2025: Named "Best Venue for an Employee Outing" on January 13, 2025, in the Worcester Business Journal's "2025 Best of Business Awards."

- 2025: Named Best Ballpark in Triple-A by USA Today

THE WORCESTER RED SOX

- 2021: Won Minor League Baseball's top honors among all 120 clubs in Minor League Baseball for Community Service (2021);

- 2021: Won Minor League Baseball's top honors among all 120 clubs in Minor League Baseball for Latino and Hispanic Outreach (2021);

- 2022: Led all 120 clubs in Minor League Baseball in Ticket Sales;

- 2023: Led all 120 clubs in Minor League Baseball in Ticket Sales;

- 2024: Established record for Minor League Baseball in Corporate Partnerships 4th straight year;

- 2025: Smiley Ball voted top Mascot in the International League by USA Today

- 2025: Became the only club among all 120 in Minor League Baseball to sell more than 500,000 tickets each of the past four years ('22, '23, '24, and '25) on September 18, 2025.

- 2025: Established record for Minor League Baseball in Corporate Partnerships 5th straight year;

- 2025: Named by Baseball America as the Organization of the Year in Triple-A on December 19, 2025.

- On the field, the WooSox have had winning seasons in all 5 years of existence and have launched such standouts as Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Brayan Bello, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and All-Star Jarren Duran, among others.

THE WOOSOX FOUNDATION

- 2025: Won the Worcester Public Library Foundation's Dr. Richard E. Greene Founders Award for partnership and promotion of the Worcester Public Library, September 18, 2025.

The Pawtucket Red Sox, Boston's former Triple-A affiliate from 1973-2020 before moving to Worcester in 2021, were the second team to ever win the Freitas Award (in 1990). ‚ The PawSox later became just the fourth team in all of Minor League Baseball to be selected for the award for a second time (in 2003).

Check out the Worcester Red Sox Statistics

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